


I Am A Pirate, You Are A President

by Wherever_Girl



Category: Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (Video Game)
Genre: Curse!Ship, M/M, inspired by another work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2020-10-05 19:01:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 20,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20493707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wherever_Girl/pseuds/Wherever_Girl
Summary: Inspired by Bilbosama's "Stick To The Script And Other Stories" fic.Just a one-shot full of moments between Roland and Khunbish, being a fluffy couple. Rated T for language. No lemon because I respect the characters.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bilbosama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bilbosama/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Stick to the Script And Other Stories](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16336130) by [Bilbosama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bilbosama/pseuds/Bilbosama). 

> Thanks a lot, Bilbosama! Ya drove me to ship these two!
> 
> (...screw it, I'm imagining myself in Roland's place xD)

**At First Sight**

He aimed his crossbow at the two trespassers, taking his time in pulling the trigger, pretending to be savoring the moment in impaling two strangers; one was a cat-eared lad, looking at least 12 or 13, his voice making him sound a lot younger than he appeared. He didn’t necessarily want to take the life of a child, but if being a pirate taught him anything, it was he couldn’t go easy on anyone.

Not even for the young man with black hair and deep brown eyes, who captured his fancy…

He was both nervous and thankfull Mistress Tani swooped in when she did. After giving them what-for and threatening to tell her dad (aka their captain, Batu) that they were evading protocol and downright ordered them to take them back to the base, she whispered something to their captives and took off to go scout some more.

Keeping them in cuffs, Chingis and Khunbish hauled the trespassers to their air-vessels; Chingis took the black-haired one (seeing as he was the biggest) and Khunbish was left with the one with cat ears. The flight was a short one, as they parked their planes near the base, having their prisoners walk the rest of the way.

Khunbish’s eyes kept on the black-haired man, before he would shake his head. Now wasn’t the time to be smitten; for all he knew, these two strangers would end up thrown off the cliffs.

Once presented to Batu, the boy--- Evan Pettiwhisper-Tildrum of Ding Dong Dell, he introduced himself--- claimed he was on his way to the King’s Cradle to get a Kingmaker and start a new kingdom, one where everyone could live happily ever after or something like that.

That got the pirates laughing. Having lived out on the streets and seen how cruel the world could be, the archer knew the lad was in over his head! …His laughing slowed, however, when he saw the stern look on the black-haired man’s face, looking as if he wanted to punch anyone who laughed at the boy. _Shit, is this his kid? But he looks too young to have a kid this age! _he thought.

Soon all the pirates laughter ceased at Batu’s order. As the captain reprimanded the lad, another scout came running forth. Tani had been captured by the Wyverns, and in exchange for her life the pirates had to surrender. He saw the hurt in his boss’ eyes when he had no choice but to lose a daughter for the sake of their little home…

That is, had Evan not volunteered to go rescue her himself, the black-haired man aiding him. It was a bargain, but Batu allowed them to go free with a few supplies--- promising death on them if they didn’t hold up their promise and bring back his little girl, unscathed.

A few hours later, they had returned, Tani safe and sound. As reward, their ex-prisoners were given safe-passage to the King’s Cradle, the little mistress and Khunbish being the ones to escort them there.

This time, the black haired man--- Roland--- rode with Khunbish, both of them listening as Tani hollered with excitement as she flew across the waters to the small isle ahead. The archer himself was blushing--- Roland’s hand was on his shoulder, the young man trying to keep steady, and the pirate was thankful for the warm weather as he could use that as an excuse for how red his face was at his touch.

Once they landed, he offered to stay by their aircrafts until they were ready to go, watching them climb the stairs up to the temple. Letting out a breath, he took off his hat and wiped his brow. “Get it together, idiot!” he snapped at himself, leaning against his plane.

Only his mates at the base knew his secret. His parents had kicked him out once he told them, thus how he wound up on the streets; he had only told his blood-brother, Chingis, practically by accident as he blurted it out one night when the two had drank too much, but his comrade was not one to judge. Batu knew, of course, and only told the pirate not to let his desires get in the way of his job.

Tani… well, he didn’t know HOW she found out, but she just asked him why he didn’t like girls--- he assured her it wasn’t because he disliked the opposite sex, but would explain it once she was older. After that, the whole base practically knew, but the most he dealt with was some light teasing (mates asking which of their men he fancied and such), some stating they were in the same boat (but not interested in him), and by the next day it was forgotten like a funny story they’d tell around the campfire.

Still, he planned on keeping such feelings buried. He was a pirate, after all, and they had skirmishes, raids, and Wyverns to deal with. He knew that there was little to no chance he’d find ‘that special someone’ in such a rugged lifestyle.

Now here came a stranger with a pretty face, deep eyes, and a nice physique, who happened to get in Batu’s good graces. The moment he got a good look at him, he felt those old feelings resurfaced.

The archer held a hand to his chest, feeling his heart beating rapidly. Dammit! He shouldn’t be so entranced by a man he just met--- especially since the guy was a father (or he assumed, the way he stood by Evan). And even if his assumption was proven false, there was a high chance he would be rejected.

He paced around, trying to block out his feelings. _This is ridiculous. I know nothing of the man! Hell, I literately came close to shooting him between the eyes a few hours ago! Who in their bloody mind would be attracted to a guy who just tried to kill them?! Get over it, ya dingus, ye ain’t his type!_

He ranted and raved to himself for a good while, before collapsing on the seat of his vessel, staring up at the clouds.

It was all true. He barely knew the man and almost tried to kill him…

So why was his heart acting this way?

He shut his eyes, covering them with his cap, figuring a nap would help.

Two hours after a dreamless snooze, Tani’s voice came hollering at him. He looked over, seeing the group returning… with a tiny, yellow, red-clad creature they introduced as Lofty, Evan’s Kingmaker. “…I thought these things were supposed to be bigger,” he stated.

“Oi! Watch it, mun! I may be pint-sized, but give it time an’ I’ll be towering over yeh!” Lofty huffed.

“Heh heh, he’s a little sensitive about his size. But, Evan’s got his Kingmaker, and that’s all that matters.”Roland replied.

“C’mon! Let’s head back to the base and tell everyone!” Tani exclaimed, already jumping onto her vessel. Evan and Lofty climbed on with her.

“Alright, keep yer hair on, no need to rush.” Khunbish chuckled at their excitement, getting situated in his own craft. Roland climbed on behind him, and once again he found himself blushing, but kept his cool. “Ready?”

“Lets go!” The young mistress took off ahead of them, Lofty letting out a surprised holler.

“Whooooaaaa! Easy on the acceleration! What’s the speed limit, 5000?!” the tiny Kingmaker was shouting above the winds.

The archer shook his head. “We’d better catch up---“ he began, pausing when he felt two hands on his shoulders this time.

“Go ahead, I’m ready.” Roland assured.

Swallowing a bit and giving a nod, the pirate took off. In his head, he imagined Roland wrapping his arms around his waist to hang on tightly, resting his chin on his fur-clad shoulder… GAAAAH! He needed to concentrate or they’d swerve into the rocks! _Curse this man for being so handsome! _Khunbish screamed in his head.

At last they landed back on the base. Upon learning of Evan’s success, Batu declared a commemoration was in order.

As the sun sank into the horizon, the whole site was alive with celebration, food and drinks set out while Evan told everyone about the trials he undertook, from solving a story-based puzzle to fighting a massive beast in order to earn his rites of passage. A few pirates poked and prodded at Lofty, some making comments about his miniscule size (the yellow creature snapping at them) while some of the women brought up how adorable he looked (that he let slide, taking their compliment); when it got to the point where the kids wanted to play with him like a toy, he hung closer to Evan, telling him to make a kingly decree that he was not to be treated like a plaything.

The night stretched on in their merriment, the pirates singing praises about Evan’s success so far and what things he could do in the future; when the campfire began to die out and the moon was nearing west, Evan decided to turn in, Tani showing him and an already-sleeping Lofty to a spare hut. A few of their mates had hit the sack as well, those still awake being ones who had to keep lookout.

Khunbish was in charge of clean-up, alongside Chingis; apparently Tani let it slip how the two were ready to play ‘judge, jury and executioner’ and Batu decided it was the least they could do to make up for their lack of discipline. …Of course, the job ended up falling on the archer alone when Chingis ended up falling asleep while wiping down a table--- didn’t surprise him none, as the masculine pirate had taken in most of the banquet.

He was in the middle of tying up a trash bag when he noticed someone sitting on a log by the campfire still, looking up at the stars.

“Roland?” Khunbish questioned to himself. Gathering his courage, he walked over. “What be keeping ye up, mate? Figured ye’d be passed out like the rest after a day like this,”

“I’ll go to bed soon. I’m just thinking,” Roland answered him, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Oh. …About what?”

The young man sighed. “It’s… well, kind of crazy. You wouldn’t understand.”

Khunbish sat down beside him, his curiosity further piqued. “Try me,”

The black-haired man rested his arms on his knees, looking back up at the stars. “I’m thinking about my home. …I’m not really from around here,”

“Is that so? …I take it ye and yer lad there miss Ding Dong Dell,”

“I’m sure he does… and he’s not really ‘my’ lad. I actually come from a different world.” Roland rested his palm on his forehead, giving a weak laugh. “Heh, I keep forgetting about it--- one moment I’m passing out surrounded by fire in the streets, then suddenly I’m waking up inside a castle filled with man-sized mice and cats, helping Evan escape a coup, and battling monsters I haven’t even heard of. Once I realized I wasn’t dead or dreaming and accepted this bizarre twist of fate… I decided I would help Evan build a kingdom. With that in mind… I never really got to think about my world,”

Khunbish cocked his head. “Another world? …What’s it like?”

“Different. A LOT different. We don’t have any magical creatures, for one thing.” His eyes turned to the burned out campfire; there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. “I was a president back in that world--- a leader of a mighty nation. I was on my way to a summit when a missile shot by and blew up the city, buildings turning into ashes; at the last second I jumped out of the car, only to be hit by a wave of heat and hit the pavement. …Next thing I know, I’m meeting Evan.”

The pirate blinked, not knowing how to register such a tale. “…B-Blimey.” Was all he could say.

Roland sighed, shaking his head. “I told you it would sound crazy,”

“A-Aye, I can’t deny that… but, that be because I’s never seen yer world, let alone heard of it. There be a sadness in yer eyes that proves it true, however, so I won’t nitpick at yer sanity.”

“Heh heh, thanks… I feel like it’s starting to run out.”

The two sat there a moment, the pirate twiddling his thumbs. “So… ye got a family back in yer world or anything?”

Roland nodded. “I do have a son. My wife passed away a couple years ago, so I was left as a single parent _and_ a leader.” He sighed, looking down at the ground. “…He was asleep back home when I had left. I’m worried sick about him,” he shut his eyes tight. “I try not to think about it… For Evan’s sake, I can’t let what happened distract me from my role in his quest.”

The pirate bit his lip; slowly and albeit awkwardly, he reached up and grasped Roland’s shoulder. “It be alright, Roland… I don’t know how ye got here, but there’s a chance you’ll go back ‘n’ see yer son again.” He looked up at the stars. “I bet he misses ye just as much, ‘n’ if he knew where ye were now, he’d be wanting ya to press on ‘n’ help King Evan build his kingdom.”

Roland smiled, resting his hand over the pirate’s. “Thanks… Khunbish, right?”

The archer’s mind was blank for a moment, having been concentrating on the president’s touch before he heard his name. “Er, ah… aye.” He replied, his words fumbling as he went red in the face.

The president arched an eyebrow. “Are you okay?”

“Um… y-yes… I mean no… I mean--- um…” He was starting to tremble… namely because Roland’s hand was still on his, and the pirate’s mind was having difficulty to register the thought to let go of his shoulder.

It didn’t help that dark brown eyes were looking directly into his bright blue ones…

“_Oi! Khunbish! Stop flirtin’ with the guest ‘n’ wake up Chingis! Ya still got cleaning up to do_!” shouted one of the pirates on sentry duty.

“Gah! D-Dammit, Ryu! Shut up!” Khunbish snapped back. He looked at Roland, who was giving him a quizzical glance; face heated red, the archer stumbled to his feet and hurried off to finish his chore.

Too flustered to look back, he didn’t notice the soft smile forming on Roland’s lips.

_~Quick Look at Roland’s POV~_

_Roland wrestled against the net that had trapped them, but one of their attackers had leapt out and tackled them; they moved quick, having him and Evan bound. _

_Thankfully, they were spared execution by Tani, and taken to the base for proper judgment. _

_Things went by quick; the only thing he could concentrate on was glaring at the pirates who laughed at Evan’s dream, and eventually buying supplies as the two went to rescue Tani, fighting Wyverns in a cave where they found her tied above the ground. _

_That wasn’t the most surprising thing however._

_No, the real surprise was after they returned to base, preparing to fly out to the King’s Cradle. _

_It was at that moment Roland reflected on a thought that had popped into his head at the start of their capture, which had lasted a split second before it resurfaced again during the flight to the King’s Cradle._

_The surprise that he was infatuated with the pirate who had at first aimed to kill him._

_That infatuation grew when they flew to the King’s Cradle. _

_…_

_After the celebration had died down and he found himself thinking about home, he didn’t expect to be talking to the one who was stirring up these new feelings inside. Not since he met his wife did he ever feel like this, and after she died he felt he never would ever again; he kept his composure, however--- his quest with Evan came first, and he did not know if the pirate even felt the same. _

_That is, until their hands touched. Staring into his bright blue eyes, he felt a connection…_

_When he took off, stumbling a bit, and clumsily picking up trash, blushing cherry red, Roland had to smile. _

_He had fallen in love at first sight. _

_~O~_

**“Just Say It, Already!”**

It was a long process… so long that it felt like it took weeks to fulfill… but Evermore was finally getting the lumber it needed to become a full-fledged kingdom.

Once the word had spread, greenlings, grimalkins, and many others came to help with the construction. Khunbish was going over some blueprints when he noticed his new King and the rest returned from Goldpaw. The group walked around to survey the process, and after a while they stood on a hill, Batu hollering for their attention as Evan gave his speech.

Rather than laugh like the first time, this time the pirates--- as well as their newfound citizens--- cheered instead. With the success of skirmishes, a kingdom on its way, and people coming from all over to take part, they had no reason to doubt the lad’s dream was going to be a reality.

The walls were built up by the end of the day. Worn out from work, Khunbish made his way to his tent to rest...

Gasping when he saw the president--- or chief consul upon Evan’s declaration--- sitting on a sleeping bag. “Oh! M-Master Roland! Sorry, I thought this was my tent,” The pirate replied, giving a bow in respect.

“No, no, you’re alright. …A few of us have to share, since we have so many people now.” Roland assured him. He motioned to the sleeping bag next to him. “Your stuff is still here, so go ahead and get some rest.”

The archer shifted. “Is that… legal? I-I mean, you’re a chief consul now, and I’m just an archer!”

“It’s perfectly fine. Plus, until we have a stable castle up, it’s common sense to have guards nearby.”

Khunbish nodded, holding back a gulp as he sat down on his sleeping bag, next to his crush. “So, um… w-where’s King Evan? I figured if anything ye both would be camping together.”

“He and Lofty are in the tent next door. I think Batu and Tani will be bunking with them; there wasn’t much room left, so I moved in here. Who are you bunking with?”

“Chingis ‘n’ I normally share a tent, but he’s on sentry duty tonight.”

“I see.”

An awkward silence hung in the air for a moment, before Khunbish quickly lied down, his back to the chief consul. “Well, I’m tired. Goodnight, Master Roland!”

“Hold on, Khunbish,” Roland spoke with indication in his voice, his hand resting on his shoulder. “We need to talk about something.”

“(meep!) …W-What is it, sir?” The archer asked, trembling at the touch of his hand.

“Sit up… I think it would be better if we spoke face-to-face,”

_Shit. I’m dead. _Khunbish thought, nervously sitting up and facing the chief consul. Before Roland could even speak, the pirate started blurting out words. “Look, if it’s about what happened back in the canyon, I’m HIGHLY sorry I tried to shoot ya point-blank in the face!”

Roland chuckled. “It’s not that, don’t worry.”

“It’s not? Is it about the skirmishes? Because I think Evan does great with leading us, an’ me team ‘n’ I give it our all, and--- and---“

“It’s not Skirmish, either. …It’s just about you.”

“Me?!” His face went red as his heart began to race. Oh shit, what was wrong? Did the president not trust him yet? Did he screw up in some important area? He heavily gulped, trying to calm himself. “Is… something wrong, sir?”

“No. …Don’t be nervous. And... sorry if this sounds a little weird,”

Khunbish relaxed a bit. “Well… go on. Ye have my attention,”

This time, Roland was starting to look nervous, a blush to his face. “The thing is… well, I don’t really know how to say this to another guy. (…crap, I didn’t think it would be this hard)…” he was murmuring.

The pirate’s attention was held, as he leaned forth a bit. “Master Roland…?”

Roland opened and closed his mouth, trying to find the words. “On second thought… maybe it can wait until later---“

“_Oh for land’s sake, man! Just say it, already!”_

“GAH!” Both of them jumped, turning toward the entrance where Chingis stood.

“Chingis! Don’t do that! Bloody hell, are ye trying to give us a heart attack?!” Khunbish snapped at his comrade.

“Har har, I’d be surprised yer hearts haven’t gone ‘n’ burst yet!” The swordsman scoffed, crossing his arms.

“I thought you were on sentry duty,” Roland noted.

“Aye, but after work today, I was ‘bout ready to crash, so I swapped out. …But enough about me. Did ye two blokes confess yer love for each other yet?”

“CHINGIS!!!” Khunbish snapped, his blush deepening.

“W… How…?” Roland sputtered.

“Don’t try to hide it now! I’ve seen the way ye look at me mate when we come back from a Skirmish, Master Roland--- and you!” he turned to Khunbish (who at this point was pulling his hat over his face). “Ye’ve been gazing at ‘im like a lovesick fool since day one! I saw that gleam in yer eye the moment we first caught the two! I bet ya 20 guilders that if Mistress Tani hadn’t swooped in, he’d be making excuses not to shoot ya, sir!”

Khunbish groaned in embarrassment. Roland rubbed the back of his neck, just as red as the archer.

Chingis looked at the two of them and grinned. “Well. Now that th’ ice be broken… I’ll leave ye two alone. Don’t stay up too late, har har!”

“YOU’RE TARGET PRACTICE, YA HEAR ME?! TARGET. PRACTICE.” Khunbish shouted at him, before burying his face in his arms. “Fuckin’ bigmouth…”

Roland looked at him, clearing his throat. “Well… I guess there’s no reason to hide it now.” He stated, letting out a breath. The pirate peeked up at him, and as cute as he looked doing so, it was taking all of the chief consul’s composure to not embrace him in a hug. “I… I like you, Khunbish.”

The archer looked up at him, eyes wide. “R-Really, sir?” he shook his head. “But--- ye’d be a widow back in your world, a-a-and you have a son!”

“I know… and I know someday I’ll go back. But as I’ve said before, for the time being, my place is here with Evan, and my goal is to help him building a thriving kingdom. Along the way…” he looked into his bright blue eyes. “I didn’t expect to fall in love.”

The pirate drew in a breath, covering his mouth. His heart was pounding in his chest to a point where he felt it would burst out of his ribcage. After a breath, he clutched his hand over his chest, his other shakily clenched in a fist resting on his leg. “But… ye’d be from another world… how would it work, if ye have to go back?”

“That’s the thing: I don’t know when I’ll be going back. It may be months, it may be years, but until I know exactly when…” He placed a hand over his shaking fist. “I want to be with you while I still have a chance to love again,”

Khunbish stared at him a moment, his deep brown eyes filled with sincerity. “M-Master Roland…” he whispered, his hand automatically linking with his.

“Please… when it’s just us, you can address me only as Roland,”

“Y-Yes sir--- er, R-Roland,” Smiling, the pirate leaned forth and hugged him tight, his heart feeling full.

Roland hugged back; the pirate’s arms, though scrawny, were so strong and so warm. He rested his head on his shoulder, his hand running through the fur on his vest as he rubbed his back. He felt him trembling, and something wet was trickling down his neck. “Khunbish? Are you… crying?”

“S-Sorry, it’s just that… I’s was so scared ye’d reject me…”

Roland closed his eyes; he thought back to his world, how many people like them had the same fears. He hugged him tighter, reaching up and running his fingers through his thick green hair. “I would never… I love you, okay?”

The archer buried his face in his shoulder, smiling through his tears; he never imagined in a million years he would hear those words. “I love you too,” they pulled away, but only a few inches as they looked at each other.

Closing their eyes, they leaned forward to…

“Everything alright in--- uhhhhh…” came Tani’s voice as the pirate girl walked in.

One lousy inch from a romantic embrace, Roland and Khunbish froze; slowly they turned and looked at Tani, who just stood there in confusion.

Everyone just blinked.

“I can explain…” Roland awkwardly stated.

Tani laughed, clapping her hands together. “Ha! I knew it! Dad owes me 50 guilders!” With that, she raced off.

Roland shook his head while Khunbish rubbed his face. “Snakes alive, was it that obvious?” the pirate muttered.

The chief consul chuckled, leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek. “We can worry about it later. For now, we need to get some rest--- there’s still a kingdom to build,” he said, lying down.

Khunbish blinked a couple times, before lying down beside him. “Aye… that be true…” he said, his mind still trying to register all that had happened, despite his heart felt at ease. He reached over and held Roland’s hand, giving him a smile. “I’m happy ye’d be part of our world now, Roland.”

The chief consul reciprocated his swain’s feelings by giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “So am I,”

~O~

**To Mend A Broken Heart**

_(based on a chapter from Bilbosama’s story)_

It had been months since Evermore was built, and the Declaration of Interdependence was initiated with Goldpaw, Hydropolis, and as of last week, Broadleaf. The only kingdom left was Ding Dong Dell, and everyone knew it would be near to impossible to make peace with Mausinger, considering he had been the one to run Evan out of his home and took the lives of both King Leonhard and Aranella.

It also didn’t help that there was a spy in the midst of Evermore, after Leander discovered ‘preying eyes’ installed in certain parts of the kingdom.

Thus when Roland devised a plan: put on a show for the wandering eyes, have Leander disguise himself as a hooded figure, pretend to be a traitor handing over state secrets, make sure to be caught during the guard change so to be spotted by Batu’s men, be thankful neither the witness nor Batu stormed in to reprimand him with a punch to the face but instead wait until the following morning at the next council meeting, pretend to leave Evermore, wait for the spy to come forth and see if the chief consul would lend his services to Mausinger… *takes a breath* PRETEND to form alliance with Mausinger, earn his trust enough to wander around, find Evan’s Mark of Kings, and amscray once the rat king caught on.

There was just one step he should have thought over…

_MAKE SURE YOUR BOYFRIEND KNOWS WHAT’S GOING ON BEFORE YOU PRETEND TO KILL HIM!_

…Safe to say, it was a long trip back to Evermore. After escaping through the sewers and running through the woods, the two made the trip in silence. Roland would look at his beau (who just kept his gaze on the path, a glare in his eye), trying to find another way to apologize. Back in the sewers, he tried to fill him in, to apologize, but the archer remained bitter, feeling as if Roland never trusted him… and it was clear he had broken the pirate’s trust.

Roland reached to hold his hand, but at a graze of his touch Khunbish jerked his hand away, giving him one hell of a death glare, before turning his eyes ahead again. “Look. A tripdoor.” The pirate pointed out firmly.

“A-After you,” Roland replied, being polite.

“Ohhh no, YOU go first. I ain’t turning me back on YOU again,”

Roland clenched his fists. Dammit, there was no time for this! “Look, I said I was sorry! I just couldn’t tell you about the plan because we had to make it look convincing as possible! No one else knew except Leander!”

“I could have had some role, though! I could have been th’ one to be th’ witness, or-or ye could have had me play dead, wake me up later, an’ sneak with ya through the castle! Just… SOMETHING! Anything! But…” his eyes began to water as he clenched his fist. “Ye didn’t trust me… didn’t even warn me to stay away…”

“Khunbish… I’m sorry. I thought it would be best if you didn’t know like the others, that way Mausinger wouldn’t suspect a thing until it was too late---“

“YOU FUCKING SHOT ME!”

“They were fakes! Do you really think for a fucking second I’d kill someone I love?! Didn’t you notice how calm I was about it? If they were real bullets… I couldn’t do it, and the plan would be exposed.” The pirate only continued to glare at him. “Please, Khunbish… I didn’t mean to hurt you…”

“Well, ya did.” The pirate pointed at the tripdoor. “Now c’mon, _Master Roland, _I’m sure everyone’s waiting to find out what the fuck is going on!”

Roland sighed bitterly. “Fine… but we’re talking about this later.” He muttered, walking onto the tripdoor.

In a flash, he appeared in Evermore, Khunbish appearing behind him seconds later. “Oi! It be Roland!” one of the guards shouted, both of them holding up their weapons. Apparently word of his ‘betrayal’ spread. “What are you doing back here, you ass?!”

“Let him through,” Khunbish called to them, his tone nonchalant as he walked by. “He was doing undercover work for the chancellor.”

“What? …Oi, Khunbish, where’d ye run off to?”

“I SAID LET HIM THROUGH.”

“Er, right!”

At ease, the guards allowed Roland to pass. He looked at his boyfriend, who turned down a different corridor. “You know where the throne room is.”

“Hey… aren’t you going to let everyone know you’re back?” Roland questioned.

“Beg yer pardon, _sir, _but I’ve been knocked out in a dungeon for a week, swam through a sewer, an’ took a hike through the woods. I’d like to wash the smell of shit off me an’ get some decent rest before all else.” With that, he trudged onward.

Roland sighed heavily; taking a breath, he headed to the throne room, keeping his composure. He would have to make amends with Khunbish later.

_~Khunbish’s POV~_

_He stood in the shower, washing himself clean, hoping that by washing away the stench of the past week would help clear his memory of the whole ordeal. _

_He hung his head low, tears mixing with warm water. His chest ached, his heart feeling like it had shattered. _

_Taking a deep breath and wiping off his face, he turned off the shower, drying off and getting dressed before going to his quarters._

_He’d go to his mates soon enough… but for now he wanted to be alone._

_He figured he’d have to get used to the feeling again._

**(story interruption: the authoress took a break to hit Roland with her shoe)**

_~Roland’s POV~_

Once everyone was informed of the operation, Evan declared it was time to return to Ding Dong Dell.

However, before all else, they had to assure everyone in the kingdom about the guise Roland and Leander pulled, in order to clear his name and prevent others from tormenting him for his so-called treachery (_a/n: and hitting him with more shoes). _

Later that day, Batu took him aside. “That be quite the trick ye pulled off, Roland. Takes a mastermind to get one past ol’ Batu,” the Administrator of Defense claimed, though kept a stern look on his face.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t inform you all, but if we told everyone there was a chance the spy would find out. It’s also noted that in order to fool an enemy, the allies should be fooled as well.” Roland replied, despite he had a feeling that he was in for a lecture.

“That may be so, an’ I’m sure th’ whole kingdom will forgive ye…” Batu gave him a hard look. “But there be one who ain’t so lenient.”

Roland looked at the ground. “…You’re talking about Khunbish, aren’t you?”

“Naw, I’m talking about Lofty--- ‘course I’m talking about Khunbish, ya soft-skulled twit!”

The chief consul breathed. “Look, I tried to apologize to him and told him everything, but---“

“But nothing, lad! Let me fill ye in a bit ‘bout his history: The day he came outta the closet, his parents tossed him out into th’ streets. He ended up thievin’ an’ such to get by before he came across me crew an’ got a chance. It took him a long while to earn our trust--- but it took twice as long for him to trust us, worried we’d abandon him like his bloody family! When he told us ‘bout his being gay, he was surprised when we took it in stride, but didn’t want to bring himself to show it much in fear of bein’ turned down.

“Then ye came along, an’ ye gave him a reason to trust again. Hell, ye must be th’ only person he grew to trust in less than a month! Chingis said th’ lad was scared to confess anything to ye, worried about rejection--- but th’ moment ye confessed yer love to him, ye put his fears to rest an’ gave him hope. When he fights in skirmishes, he not only fights to live to see another day, he fights so he could live to see yer face again!

“But now… ye’ve gone ‘n’ broke his heart, broken a trust that took forever to build, an’ brought back to life a lingerin’ fear of loneliness. Those bullets of yours may have been fake, Roland, but th’ pain ye left inside him isn’t. Before we head to Ding Dong Dell, ye’d better fix things between the two of ye--- I ain’t gonna have me best archer givin’ up in times of crisis cuz of th’ likes of ya!”

With that, Batu walked off.

Roland winced a bit, but knew the pirate captain was right. Walking down to the guards’ quarters, he looked for Khunbish. Surprisingly, yet not so much, Tani was sitting outside his door. She approached him quietly. “I tried talking to him… but he won’t speak to anyone. He didn’t even let Chingis in,” she sighed, giving him a pat on the shoulder. “… I picked the lock for ya. Good luck, Roland.”

He approached the door, carefully creaking it open and peering inside.

Khunbish was lying on his bed, curled up in a ball. Tear streaks stained his face, a redness beneath his eyes proving he had been crying.

The chief consul shut the door behind him, quietly locking it so not to risk anyone barging in. Making his way over to the bed, he sat down beside his beau, seeing how his hands gripped the pillow and how his shoulders shook in his sleep. He was wearing just a white shirt with blue-green pants that went down to his ankles, his hat hanging up giving a good view of his messy green hair.

Roland began to reach out to rub his head, but hesitated as he remembered the pirate’s reaction back in the woods… how he pushed him away in the sewers…

He gripped his shirt, feeling his own heart breaking. During his concentration on getting Evan his Mark of King’s, he wasn’t fully aware of how much pain he put his boyfriend through, having been secretly hoping that by the time they got back to Evermore they would have kissed and made up… but instead both were in pain.

“I really fucked up, didn’t I?” Roland said mainly to himself, looking at the pirate. “I’ve always been one to put business before pleasure. We had to map out a strategy to get close to our enemy, not knowing how much I was going to hurt everyone. ...I didn’t think you’d come chasing after me. I was worried it was going to be Evan I’d have to use those bullets on; but when I saw you in that cell… well, I had to keep cool, remind myself that you would be fine and the worse part would be finding your body if they had done anything to it…”

He blinked, a few tears forming in his eyes. “But I was wrong. I ended up hurting you… Evan and everyone else was more forgiving, but--- well, Leander said Evan had figured it out before I even arrived. But you… you were afraid I had left you behind, and didn’t learn the truth until after I forced you to play dead for a week. A whole week… I had to imagine you lying on that cold floor each night, having to push away the urge to come check on you to keep to the plan. …Once I used that flash-bang higgledy to make my escape… I ran so hard; every time a guard or the sorceress came at me, I hacked my way through just to get back to you, to make sure you were still there…”

He stood up, wiping his face. “You have a right to hate me. I… I had another shot at love, and I fucked it up. I know I was helping Evan, and doing what I could to help Evermore, but… I didn’t plan things very well, since someone I loved got hurt,” he walked over to the door, resting his hand on it, his head down as tears dripped out of his eyes. “I’m sorry… and I understand if… if it’s over between us. You deserve better.”

His chest was tight, aching on the inside. The last time he felt a pain like this was when his wife had died. The last time he felt this fear was when he watched a city turn to ashes from a single explosion. He felt like his whole world was crumbling…

Arms wrapped around him just then, as Khunbish rested his head on the back of his neck. “It ain’t over till I’s says so,” he murmured, burying his face against him. “…an’ like hell if there’d be someone better than a guy willin’ to risk heartbreak to aid our king.”

“Khunbish…” Roland turned to face him, and without warning lips collided with his own as the pirate took him into a passionate embrace.

Breaking out of the kiss, Khunbish led him over to the bed. “C’mon… ye can start amends by keeping me warm tonight. That cell floor was colder than ye’d believe,”

Roland blushed. “W-What…!”

The pirate scoffed, smirking. “No vulgar thoughts, Roland. I’s just wants ye in my arms,”

The chief consul smiled; he took off his overcoat and boots, crawling in bed beside the pirate. Wrapping their arms around each other, they hugged tightly, not planning to let go until sunrise.

After all, they had a week of cuddling to catch up on.

**(story interruption again: the authoress’ heart frickin’ exploded)**

~O~

**Good Morning… and Goodbye**

_(set: post-victory with the Horned One. Spoilers for the ending!)_

_Sunlight filtered in through the window, shining upon his face; Khunbish squinted, slowly opening his eyes and shielding them from the bright morning light, seeing the white transparent curtains swaying in the morning breeze by the open window. _

_Once his vision adjusted, it fell on Roland, snuggled against him, his long black hair draped over his shoulders and down his back. The pirate smiled, hugging him tight. They had returned to Evermore late into the evening, and after bidding their friends goodnight, the couple had gone to bed. They had started sharing a room two weeks ago, Roland wanting to hold his lover as much as he could before they had to face Doloran… and after surviving the most insane, world-shattering, deadliest battle anyone could ever partake in, the chief consul didn’t want to let him go for a single minute._

_Khunbish smiled. They had kissed and cuddled, Roland listening to his heartbeat when he began to drift to sleep. The archer brushed his bangs out of his face, giving him a kiss on the forehead. “Time to wake up, darling.” He coaxed, running his fingers through his long black hair._

_“Hm?” Roland slowly opened his eyes, looking up at him; he smiled. “Hey… morning. What time is it?”_

_Khunbish looked at the clock on the wall. “Seven in the morning. We’ve got big plans today, don’t we?”_

_“Yeah… we’re going to set up to celebrate. All the kingdoms are going to come to Evermore in a couple of weeks,” _

_“Gonna be one helluva party,” Khunbish rubbed his back, his thoughts beginning to drift._

_Roland sat up a bit, giving him a concerned look. “Is something wrong?”_

_“Just been thinking… Ye helped Evan build his kingdom, unite all these nations, an’ took out the Horned One… an’ I remember that ye have yer own world waiting for ye back home. I was just wondering… since it’s all over now… will ye be going back?”_

_The chief consul paused; he thought back to the nightmarish vision Doloran had shown him, of the city burning ablaze… his son in the middle of the street, running up to him crying, only for his eyes to become empty sockets before he turned to ashes. It was the first reminder he had in months about the world he had been summoned from._

_Deep down, he felt that soon he would be sent back any day now. _

_“Yeah… Any day now,” Roland answered in truth. He held his boyfriend’s hand. “I knew it was gonna be a hard fact to face… but didn’t think it would be this difficult to handle.”_

_“Aye… neither did I,” The pirate gripped his hand tight, both of them lying there, facing each other. “Tis been a hard reality I wished I didn’t have to face… But, ye’ve got a life waiting for ya back home--- ye got a son who misses ya Lord knows how much, an’ a whole nation to take care of. I don’t want to hold ya back,”_

_“I wish… you could come with me. That everyone could come with me--- I wish there was a way I could come back and visit, but…” Roland let out a heavy sigh, moving close and hugging him. _

_Khunbish hugged him tightly. “We’ll all be alright, Roland. Don’t ya worry,”_

_“What about you? …I don’t want to leave you heartbroken,”_

_The archer chuckled, the president listening to the rumble in his chest. “Trust me, darling, I’m far from heartbroken. …Because of ye, I overcame me fear to love someone. Saying goodbye’s gonna be hard, but… from all we’ve been through, all we’ve shared, I’ll have memories to comfort me.”_

_“Yeah… Heh. When I go back, it’ll feel like a weird dream--- but I know it’s all real.” Roland shut his eyes, listening to his heartbeat through his shirt. _

_Khunbish held him close, resting his head atop of his. “I’m glad ye came here, Roland. Even if we’re universes apart… I’ll still love ya, always.”_

_“I’ll always love you too,”_

_They lay there for a few more minutes, before deciding it was time they got up to help with the preparations. They were walking down the hall when Khunbish stopped him. “Hold on…” he reached behind his neck, taking off his necklace and handing it to Roland. “This was the first spoil I gained from battle when I became a pirate--- kept it on me for strength. I wants ya to have it… that way you’ll know none of this was a dream,”_

_Roland held the necklace, wincing a bit. “I wish I had something special to give to you,”_

_Khunbish closed his hands over the necklace. “Ye gave me yer heart… an’ that’s more than I’ve ever wanted.”_

(Time skip)

After throwing confetti over the crowd and hearing Evan’s speech, the archer ran down the halls of the palace. He hadn’t seen Roland standing with the young king or other rulers on the balcony, giving him some concern.

When he ran into the throne room, he only saw a sparkling light fading from where Roland had stood, Evan having been the one to lucky enough to bid him farewell. Turning, the young king noticed the sky pirate’s misty eyes.

“He… He’s gone home, hasn’t he?” Khunbish asked, despite he knew in his heart it was true.

“Yes… I suppose his role in this world has been fulfilled, and it was time for him to return to his world.” Evan replied, approaching him. “…I’m sorry, Khunbish. I know he wanted to stay longer so he could say goodbye to everyone,”

The archer wiped his eyes, sighing but giving a smile. “It be okay, yer highness. We… We said our goodbyes already. An’ I got to see him one more time this morning before the ceremony. It’s just…” he shut his eyes; he wanted to be strong about this, thinking that after saying what they had to beforehand it would be easier to overcome, but dammit all he couldn’t keep from missing him!

Evan walked over; breaking some rules of appropriation, the young king hugged the archer in comfort. “I miss him too, Khunbish. …It’s not the first time I had to say goodbye to someone, either. My father, Aranella, now Roland--- they all had an impact on my life: one who brought me into this world, one who raised me, and one who guided me through the harshest of times. The only comfort I think about is that someday we’ll see each other again.”

Khunbish hugged the king back, accepting his comfort. “Aye… that be true…” He pulled out of the hug, sighing; he looked out the window. “That was the case with Doloran too, wasn’t it? He’s having to move on too, ain’t he?”

Evan nodded. “I know it’s hard, but… Roland doesn’t want any of us to be sad. He’s done so much here, and he’s finally back where he belongs.”

“Aye… Heh, what a guy. Soulmate or not, I ain’t gonna find one like him again. But… that be okay. In time I may find someone new, ‘n’ it’s because of him I have no fear in looking for love. Even if I don’t find another… it’s okay, because I already had someone who loved me. ‘Better to have loved ‘n’ lost than never to have loved at all’, as they says.” He let out a sigh. “Just… gonna be different, not seeing him around.”

The young king sighed as well. “I know. I’ll have to get used to that, myself.”

“Won’t we all,” came the voice of Bracken, as she, Batu, Tani, and Leander entered the throne room.

“He left already, did he? …Argh, just couldn’t wait fer us to say goodbye, could he?” Batu sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“He wanted to… but it was time for him to go, and he couldn’t stop it.” Evan told them.

Tani crossed her arms. “Gonna be strange without him…” she murmured, but shook her head. “Bah, what are we moping around for? Roland’s finally back home! We should be happy for him!”

“Yes, not to mention we have our own celebration to partake in, still.” Leander added. “Surely he would not want us to spoil it,”

“I propose we hold a feast in his honor! To the Man From Another World Who United Ours!” Batu exclaimed.

“That’s a wonderful idea,” Evan replied with a nod.

They walked out, heading down to the courtyard where the celebration continued. Khunbish followed behind them, Tani at his side. “Are you going to be okay? “ she asked him quietly.

“Aye, I’ll be okay.” Khunbish assured her with a smile.

Walking out, he looked to the skies; somewhere in another world, his beloved was living his life, and he knew he’d want him to do the same.

His mates hollered at him, beckoning him over, and he went on to join them in the celebration at the start of a brand new beginning for their world.

…

(Meanwhile)

President Roland looked at his ipad as his limousine drove to the summit. Due to the events in the world unfamiliar, somehow it altered things in his world, taking him back to a point before destruction hit. He sent out a proclamation to the UN, deciding to follow Evan’s example and try to unite the world. It was a long shot, but if it could happen once, it could happen again.

Looking at the screen, he had to smile. Before he had left, Bracken had given him a flashdrive that could plug into his phone; it was a ‘mini-memolith’ she had been working on, claiming he could record memories and pictures on it from his adventures in their world, so when the day came for him to return home he would always have a way to look back and remember.

He was staring at a group photo they had all taken. Batu was holding Tani up on one arm, Chingis was giving bunny-ears to Zip Vector much to his irritation while Bracken laughed, Master Pugnacious Doloran and Niall were looking formal (though trying to keep straight faces at how silly the others were acting), Leander and Queen Nerea were standing hand-in-hand, Lofty was balancing on Evan’s head while Mausinger facepalmed, and Khunbish had his arm around Roland both of them making a heart-gesture with their hands.

He smiled; beneath his shirt, he was still wearing his necklace.

Sadly, due to the magic in their world, Doloran claimed only Roland would be able to see it, and anyone else would only see a blank screen. He didn’t mind though; as long as he remembered, he knew his adventure had truly happened.

Out the window he looked… seeing fireworks bursting in the sky. He smiled with relief.

It was a new beginning after all.

**The End!**


	2. Bonus Content!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...So after playing the game and discovering some of that DLC, the plot-bunnies attacked and I felt like adding some bonus-material to this story.
> 
> Get ready for more fluff, a touch of angst, and just good ol' shippy goodness. Ha ha ha--- I have a problem, send help! I want the pirate all to myself...! *gets slapped by reader* ...thank you. I needed that. 
> 
> Onward to the trifles!

**Even The Strong Are Vulnerable**

_[Set before the Broadleaf Arc]_

Roland sat up, gasping. Another nightmare haunted his sleep.

Evermore underwent some changes in the last week or so. The castle was remodeled, and the borders had been expanded; with the increase of citizens moving into the kingdom and new establishments being made, the once-untamed Heartlands had become grounds for an actual civilization. Best of all, Ketch and his crew were nearing completion on upgrading the boat so everyone could sail to Broadleaf.

It was around that time he started having nightmares… well, more like night-_terrors_; normally the chief consul was still in his sleep, but the last couple of nights he found himself at different angles, pillows and sheets kicked or pushed off. Once or twice, there were tear-marks on his pillow.

One night, someone had heard him yell in his sleep, racing into his room. He didn’t recall the horrid vision, and he went through the day not quite recalling it, but he still had a feeling of panic beating in his heart; it wasn’t until the one who freed him of his troubled sleep gave him some comfort that he managed to drift off again.

Feeling he wasn’t going to get back to sleep, Roland decided to search him out. He had started memorizing guard shifts around Evermore, feeling it would be wise to keep it in mind in case any shady characters tried to pull something… that, and so he would know when and where a certain guard was posted.

Khunbish stood outside tonight, keeping watch by the front of the castle gate; Roland had to smile at his boyfriend’s expression--- the archer always took his job seriously, his bright blue eyes sharp and stern as he scanned the area. He had surprisingly good senses, too--- able to spot an enemy from afar, listening in on a conversation just a few feet away, and quick to act when under threat. Batu had said his top aviator started out on the streets and had to learn a few things to survive--- being around pirates just taught him how to enhance such skills.

Perhaps the most amazing feature was his voice. The way he spoke, his voice having a slight rasp to it as if he was a smoker (he wasn’t), no one would know the talent he had behind it. In skirmishes, he could let out a piercing sound that would rattle enemies and stun them long enough for the troops to gain an upper hand… but what Roland discovered for himself was how soothing the pirate could speak. It was the night he woke the chief consul upon hearing his yell, and spoke to him in such a calm tone it was both a surprise and a sedative.

He wanted to hear that voice again.

The archer looked over his shoulder--- no doubt having sensed his beau’s presence. “Roland? What’re ye doing up at an hour like this?” Khunbish questioned, slight concern in his eyes.

“I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep,” Roland answered; before going into detail, he surveyed the area. Chingis normally partnered with Khunbish during sentry duties, and he figured the swordsman was doing a patrol--- often going as far as to check on the llapaca farm, as the pirate had a knack with animals.

The archer looked at him, reading him. “Nu Bi and Fai Doh will be relieving us soon, if ye’d like me to stay up wit’ ya. Ye look like ye’d be in the mood for a talk,”

“Thanks. …Mind if I wait with you?” Normally he wouldn’t request such a thing, but tonight he felt an exception could be made.

“Eh, Batu would skin me alive if I let myself get distracted on my shift—but, if ye sit beside me, it won’t break my concentration.”

Roland smiled a bit, walking around and sitting on the ground. He looked up at the stars and around the growing city, while his swain kept his eyes focused. Somehow the chief consul felt he didn’t distract the archer, but gave him more reason to stay aware of his surroundings.

Chingis returned from his patrol, bidding greeting to Roland. “Strange to see ya up so late, Master Roland--- why it’s almost 2 o’clock in the morning!” the swordsman added. He gave the couple a sly grin. “Didn’t come down to distract Khunbish, did ye?”

“Stay focused, knucklehead.” Khunbish scoffed, rolling his eyes.

They all stayed silent after that, keeping eyes and ears open for any threats on the still-young kingdom. The situation reminded Roland of the first night he ran away with Evan, staying up by the campfire while the young grimalkin curled up in a blanket beside him, intent on keeping him safe after their escape.

Remembering the king in such a helpless situation made the nightmare of tonight surface in his mind…

Nu Bi and Fai Doh arrived on the dot, relieving Khunbish and Chingis; the archer told the swordsman he was going to walk Roland back to his room--- his friend made a wisecrack, which the aviator promised to box his ears for later.

Once in the privacy of his room, the chief consul filled him in. “I had another nightmare… normally once I wake up, I forget them, but this one was too vivid.” He whispered, both of them sitting on the edge of the bed. “I dreamt Evan and I were in the town square, everything was on fire, and he was badly wounded somehow; I was holding him in my arms, begging him to wake up. Suddenly the buildings shifted and everything looked like my world… and when I looked at Evan… he looked just like my son.”

Khunbish looked at him with a solemn expression; though he was sure Roland told others about his world, he was the only one that he knew of who the president spoke to when it came to his son. He put his arm around his boyfriend, who rested his head on his shoulder.

Before the pirate could voice a reply, he felt Roland’s shoulders shake, hearing light gasps as he began to sob quietly. “I-I keep thinking he’s dead… that missile blew up the whole city…”

The aviator’s mind raced; Roland was so strong, so wise, he never thought him the type to break down crying! Vulnerability was a thing that didn’t suit him! Still, the moment made the pirate aware that everyone has limits.

So he wrapped his arms around his love, stroking his long black hair while he shushed him, planting a kiss on his forehead. “…Does yer heart tell ye that?” he asked, in that soothing tone that always calmed the chief consul. “Just cuz yer mind is filled with nightmares, it doesn’t mean yer heart is the same. Oh sure, it worries, but deeper down there’s a knowledge that goes beyond fears ‘n’ expectations.”

Roland took a breath, sinking into his arms further. He didn’t think about home too much, having been exposed to so much wonder in this world that he could barely take it in. “I don’t know… I don’t think---“

“Don’t think. Feel.” The archer reached and laid a hand on his chest, over his heartbeat.

The president rested his hand over the pirate’s, closing his eyes. He thought about the last time he saw his son, hugging him before sending him to his room. He would be gone all weekend at the summit, he said, but promised he would be home right after. The problem with being a president _and_ a parent was that he didn’t get to enjoy enough time with his son… worse, worried about the threats that could befall them, which he immediately thought about the moment he saw that missile shoot by.

He remembered telling his son about how he handled bullies; he showed his son a few self defense moves, knowing that bodyguards wouldn’t be enough, while also teaching him escape methods should anything happen while he was gone.

In his heart, he had faith that by some miracle it was enough for his son to survive, while calculating the distance between his home and the explosion, though doubt clouded his mind. “I want to believe he’s alright… that the explosion didn’t expand too far, but I’m still worried.” He began to tremble again. “I’ve been here so long, I-I keep forgetting I have a son back home--- I know I need to focus on helping Evan, but the shock of what happen creeps up on me, and…” tears broke loose again, and he buried his face in his boyfriend’s shoulder. “I just want to see my son again…!”

Khunbish hugged him tight; it shattered his heart to see Roland this way. “You will, Roland!”

“H-How are you sure? What if he’s dead…?”

“Enough of this ‘what if’ crock!” Khunbish gripped him by the shoulders, looking into his eyes; it was then Roland noticed the pirate was beginning to wince. “Dead or alive, yer son wouldn’t want ye to lose faith! Look at King Evan… he lost his father, a governess, an’ a whole bloody home! Did he cry? He did, I’m sure--- everyone cries when they lose someone! Whether it’s separation or loss, it pains the heart… but beyond that pain there’s hope that they’ll meet again, and it’s that hope that helps us carry on, and do everything to make a better tomorrow. No matter what, don’t let these fears or doubts take over yer heart!”

Roland sniffled, wiping his eyes. “…ha, when did you become such a philosopher?”

“Oi, I’m being bloody serious, Roland. I hates to see ya like this…” He stroked his head, resting his own against it. “I may not know anything about yer world… but I’s still believe yer son might be alive. If he’s anything like ye, I has no doubts about it.”

The chief consul let out a heavy sigh. It was a long shot, but then again he never believed a world of magic existed, let alone has been helping a once-vulnerable child grow in to a strong king and build a kingdom where everyone could live happily ever after. With all that in mind, he had no reason to doubt anything. He pulled out of the hug, only enough to look at the aviator. “Thank you, Khunbish.”

The pirate smiled, thumbing a strand of his hair tracing along his fingers. “Anytime, darling. Would ye like me to stay in here ‘til ye fall back to sleep?”

“Please.”

Roland lied down, Khunbish sitting on the edge beside him, holding his hand and caressing the top of it with his thumb. That voice of his surprised the chief consul once more, as the pirate began to softly hum a tune to help lull him to sleep. It made the president think about those old pirate movies where the crew would sing shanties, but this song was calm and gentle--- just like his voice.

…

Khunbish didn’t let go of Roland’s hand until the chief consul fell fast asleep, nor did he get up from the bed until he was sure his love was having a peaceful slumber--- to ensure such, he gave him one more kiss on the cheek, before quietly slipping out the door.

He sat down in the hall, dosing off. He wanted to be nearby should another nightmare disrupt his boyfriend’s sleep.

…

Tani walked down the hallway, always been an early riser above the rest. Walking along, she didn’t expect to see one of her mates asleep by Roland’s door.

She smiled, shaking her head; she walked into a spare room, coming back out and draping a blanket around him. “You’re quite the hopeless romantic, you know that?” she whispered to him.

“Zz--! Huh? What? …Mistress Tani?” Khunbish snapped awake, giving her a groggy look.

She giggled, patting his shoulder. “At ease, mate. Go back to sleep.”

He nodded, closing his eyes and drifting off as fast as he woke up.

Tani walked on, resisting the temptation to take a picture for Leafbook.

…

_Password Protected_

_When I started travelling this new world, I didn’t expect to see a lot of things… but perhaps the most surprising was finding love again, with the most unlikely of characters. Still, I’m grateful to have met Khunbish. Whether he knows it or not, he’s one of the many reasons I keep pushing on through every trial—right after Evan and my son. (Wherever you are, I look forward to seeing you again someday, kiddo). …I wonder how he would react if he knew his ol’ man was dating again?_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

**Keeping Up Appearances**

_(Concept: Roland and Khunbish *finally* go on an actual date, and their friends help them prepare!)_

Roland and Khunbish were walking through Kardia Square in Hydropolis, hand-in-hand; Evan, Leander and Bracken were running an errand for one of the locals, the young king stating everyone could enjoy the sights while they did so. It was then the couple overheard the murmurings.

“Isn’t that the chief consul of Evermore? What’s he doing holding hands with a pirate?” a woman whispered.

“They look cute… even though they kind of clash,” a mermaid stated.

“Opposites sure attract, don’t they?” a man commented.

“Why would he date someone so… scruffy?” a merman questioned.

“Huh, the lower class sure don’t struggle with aiming high,” an older woman huffed.

Roland felt Khunbish’s grip tighten; looking at the pirate, he could tell his swain was trying to keep his cool. “Um, Khunbish? You’re crushing my hand,” the chief consul quipped.

“Ah! Sorry, darling.” Khunbish replied, loosening his grip and caressing Roland’s hand with his thumb.

His beau gave a soft chuckle, nudging him. “Hey. Don’t let it get you down. People here haven’t seen couples walking around in 300 years--- there’s a lot they need to get used to.”

“Heh, aye, ye’d be right about that.”

Still, as they stood by the water to scope out the view, the pirate looked at their reflection in the water. Roland had just obtained a new set of robes, looking suave, sophisticated, elegant and bold… and beside him was a pirate wearing the same rugged clothes that he washed every other day. Somehow, he felt he had to look better for his boyfriend…

“Oi, lovebirds! Evan’s back! Lets go!” Tani called to them from the top of the steps.

As they went to regroup, Roland turned to his boyfriend. “Hey, do you have any plans for tonight?” the chief consul asked.

“I may be working at the Guild, but I should be free for tonight. Why do ye ask?” Khunbish replied.

“I was thinking--- since it’s been pretty quiet, and before the next catastrophe hits, do you want to go on a date? We don’t really get the chance to go out and do things together, so I figured we could have an evening to ourselves while we still can.”

The pirate nodded; in truth, he and Roland always got a chance to spend time together--- nice little walks, lounging around somewhere, or cuddling up at night... but in truth, they never really had an ‘official’ date. “Sure, sounds great, love. When should we go out?”

“How does seven o’clock sound? We can go out to dinner, maybe go to the symphony hall afterwards... anything you’d like to do.”

“Aye, that be a fine plan. Seven o’clock--- meet in the center o’ Aranella Square?”

“Perfect. It’s a date!” Roland gave him a kiss on the cheek, before walking off.

Khunbish nodded, though once his beau was a few paces ahead, his expression became that of uncertainty.

Once they returned to Evermore via the Fast-Travel spell, Evan decided to walk around the kingdom to see how their new citizens were getting settled, while everyone else went to their own jobs in the kingdom. Khunbish had the day off, as the Explorer’s Guild was full on help for the day, giving him time to meander about.

As he walked, he looked over and saw Roland talking with Batu. He started at his boyfriend--- how handsome he looked--- then looked at himself. _I might as well dress like they do in Capstan, _he thought with a sneer.

Standing up straight, he walked up the street, coming to a decision.

Walking into one of the many shops on the square, he began to browse around the clothes. Apparently the styles of the foreign nations really piqued interests, as there were blazers from Broadleaf, robes from Goldpaw, togas from Hydropolis, and some fine tunics from Ding Dong Dell. But he wanted to wear something special for his date tonight.

He wanted to look good for Roland.

“Khunbish?”

The pirate gave a jolt, turning around and seeing Bracken on the other side of the clothes rack! “Oh! Miss Meadows! Er, how are ye doing?” he asked, keeping casual.

Bracken shrugged. “Oh, you know--- just got my paycheck and decided a shopping spree was amust, ha ha. What about you? I’ve never seen you come in here before!”

“Um… well… j-just looking for a new outfit, is all. Mistress Tani keeps pestering me, saying I should get some new clothes rather than rewashing these ones all the time,” he cleared his throat, turning around. “Oh well, doesn’t look like there’s anything here that’ll fit me. See ya!”

“Hold it!” came an exclamation; from around the counter came the seamstress. “Please, don’t leave. If you can’t find the right outfit, I’ll make one for you!”

“O-Oh, that won’t be necessary—“

“No, I must insist. As a designer, it would go against my personal code to allow a customer walk out without something suited to their style. Now let me look you over,” she walked around him, the female-hound humming to herself every few seconds; she would look at his shirt, then turn him around to look at his back. “Hmm, you seem to be the rugged type. But! I noticed a look in your eye when you came in here--- you wish to try out something new!”

Khunbish blushed, looking astounded. “Snakes alive, ye came up with that conclusion just by lookin’ at me?!”

“Hee hee, it’s all part of my job. I need to pay attention to my clientele so that I can find the right outfit for them,”

“Pi Chi always has an eye for fashion. Even at the Outfitters, she not only helps design the armor, but makes sure it’s both sturdy and comfortable,” Bracken added.

“Well, of course! How many times have you’ve seen someone leap into battle, but have trouble with their agility, balance or technique because their armor was too heavy or their boots were too cumbersome? Now then. Khunbish.” Pi Chi turned towards him once more. “Is there any particular style you’re looking for?”

“Um… well… I-I’m not sure, I ain’t exactly what ye’d call the ‘stylish’ type,” Khunbish replied, feeling flustered.

“Lets start with this: what _really_ brought you in here?” Bracken asked in turn, crossing her arms and giving him a sly look. “Because if Tani just told you to get a new outfit, I’d figure you’d just grab a shirt and some pants and call it a day.”

Khunbish gave a jolt. _Gah! She figured me out! Curse these women and their intuition! _He thought. “Um… grr, it’s none of yer business! I just want a new outfit is all!”

“Is that so…?”

“Aye, it is!”

Bracken continued to give him a look. Before the pirate could storm out, however, the door opened and in walked Evan. “Pi Chi, I found some new thread you may like to--- oh!” the young king was stating, pausing when he saw his head mechanic and one of his guards in the room… and he could definitely sense the tension. “Hello Bracken and… Khunbish? Golly, I’ve never seen you in here before,”

The pirate threw his hands up in the air. “Why is it a big shock to everyone that I’m in a clothing store?!”

“Maybe you could help us out here, Evan. Khunbish is looking for a new outfit—however, he doesn’t want to tell us the real reason as to why. And he’s being stubborn not wanting Pi Chi’s help,” Bracken stated.

“Would ye mind yer own business?!”

“Everyone calm down! …Bracken, I will admit Khunbish has a point--- getting a new outfit is his own personal affair.”

“Sorry--- the guy just kept looking flustered, and I figured I could help out,” Bracken said with a shrug.

Evan turned to Khunbish. “And Khunbish, if you are indecisive, it’s alright to ask for assistance. Pi Chi is a wonderful seamstress and has a great eye for style! You should at least give her a chance,”

Khunbish rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s… ah, well it ain’t that I don’t appreciate the help, yer majesty, it’s just… I-I’m a little embarrassed,” he confessed.

“What’s so embarrassing about trying out a new look?” Pi Chi inquired. “A part of life is all about taking a break from routine! That’s why I love to explore the fashions of other places--- there’s so many ways to experiment!”

“New look?” Evan repeated, looking at the aviator curiously.

“*sigh* Well, I guess I might as well come clean… See, Roland ‘n’ I… well, we’re going on a date tonight, a-and I wants to look my best. Problem is…” he motioned to his current attire. “This is all I got,”

“Ha ha! Well why didn’t you say so??” Bracken exclaimed. “We can help you find the PERFECT outfit for a date!”

“Oh, yes! I love designing clothes for fond-filled evenings!” Pi Chi gasped with excitement.

“Mm-hmm! We can help you find something to make the evening feel special,” Evan agreed.

“Wh--! Y-You’re going to help too, King Evan?!” Khunbish gasped.

The young king nodded. “Of course! If it’s that important to you, I want to assist in any way I can.”

“Oi, thanks yer majesty!”

“C’mon, let me get your measurements, and we’ll get started right away!” Pi Chi exclaimed, yanking Khunbish into the back room! Bracken and Evan followed.

…

Unbeknownst to the pirate, Roland was having a similar conversation with Batu and Tani. “…People kept staring at us. Normally I don’t care what others think, but I didn’t like how they were making Khunbish feel uncomfortable.” The chief consul was telling them. “Do you think it would help if I toned down my appearance a bit?”

“Har har, don’t be a fool, Roland. People would think little of Evermore if the chief consul walked around lookin’ like a slob just to make his boyfriend look good!” Batu scoffed.

Tani nudged her father, giving him a look. She looked at Roland. “Frankly, you shouldn’t care what other people say. But I will say this--- when you’re not busy helping out with the kingdom, there’s no harm in finding some casual clothes to unwind in. I mean, I love that dress I wore in Hydropolis, but it would feel stuffy wearing it everywhere. And if you think it would help Khunbish stop being so self-conscious, go for it! It’s your relationship, not ours.”

“Ha ha, thanks Tani. But, what should I wear? Outside of these robes, the only things I have to wear is my longcoat and suit.” Roland stated. “And a lot of the outfits we’ve seen from other kingdoms still look pretty classy,”

“Then ye gotta look in more humble places, ye swab!” Batu stated in obviousness. “Why, look at me--- I’s found that outfit from Capstan, ‘n’ there ain’t nothing less classy than just a shirt an’ a bunch o’ bandages wrapped around yer thighs!”

Tani shut her eyes tight at the mental image. “Dad. Please. Promise me you’ll never wear that outfit in public again. The monsters on the battlefield even went blind!”

“I, ah, don’t want to dress _too _humble. Just something casual, like Tani said.” Roland spoke up.

The young sky pirate gave him a grin. “In that case, we’d better get to Evermore Outfitters,”

“The Outfitters?”

“Aye--- Fai Doh said one of our sky pirate mates from Cloudcoil Canyon is visiting with his boyfriend, and decided to take a temporary job to earn guilders and buy some supplies for the base. If we’re lucky, they’re still here. Lets go!”

Grabbed by the wrist, Roland allowed himself to be drug to Evermore Outfitters; sure enough, inside a pair of sky pirates were standing by the counter, one of them looking like he was shooting the breeze. “And then Ryu thought it would be a good idea to have a race to settle the score,” one of them was telling Fai Doh, before looking at who Roland could assume was his boyfriend. “Kan, you tell him how that turned out.”

“Jun, seriously, I need to finish up here. We have to be back at the base before tomorrow, remember?” Kan replied.

Jun turned back to Fai Doh. “Ryu ended up having them eat his dust! No one expected a guy who had his leg broken to be able to run so fast!”

Fai Doh shook his head chuckling, before noticing they had customers. “Oh! Good afternoon Master Roland. Captain Batu, Tani. Do you have armor that needs upgraded?” the hound asked.

“Actually, we’re here to see Kan.” Tani spoke up, turning to the sky pirate behind the counter. “You’re good with making outfits, right?”

“Uh, um… I guess. Why?” Kan asked, blushing a bit.

“Roland here needs a new outfit fer his date tonight; but he doesn’t want anything fancy, ya see, wants to take a break from dressin’ like a high-class noble he does. Figured th’ Outfitters here would have a thing or two ye could customize,”

“Ah, so you wanna dress like the common folk, eh? No problem! We can help you find the best outfit!” Jun exclaimed.

“Hm? Who says you’re helping?” Kan questioned.

“Ah, cut me to the quip, why don’t you! C’mon, mate, who else but me would know how to dress to impress for a date?”

“You can tag along. We may need more than one input. Lets see what you have, first!” Tani exclaimed.

“Oi, we’re gonna be here a while…” Batu sighed.

…

(_Outfit montage, yay!)_

With Khunbish, he was in a dressing room. Pi Chi, Bracken and Evan were sitting in some chairs, waiting for him to get done changing. “Er… Miss Pi Chi? Are you sure this outfit suits me?” he asked. He stepped out, wearing a long-sleeved dress-shirt with a black vest and black pants. He also sported sunglasses.

“Hmm, I guess the sunglasses are a little much.” Pi Chi figured.

“Lets try a different outfit. He looks like a bartender!” Bracken commented, and Khunbish went back into the changing closet.

With Roland, he stepped out of the changing room wearing an ebony-black jacket with a fluffy-rimmed tan hood and cuffs, a black long-sleeved casual shirt, and dark-gray pants. “It’s nice, but… not exactly what I’m looking for.” He admitted.

“Seriously? C’mon, I have a jacket like this--- the ladies always chased after me when I wore it!” Jun added.

“Yeah--- but they were normally carrying weapons,” Tani joked, earning a sneer.

“Aye, it still seems too classy. Lets try something else!” Batu replied, having Roland go back in to change.

…

The second outfit Khunbish tried on was a blue baseball cap, dark blue suit-jacket over a light blue button up shirt, and black pants--- Bracken claimed it was a new outfit over at Broadleaf. “Hmm, not enough…” the mechanic thought, looking him over.

“Maybe it would work if I combed my hair?” Khunbish guessed, brushing his hair down as he looked at his reflection.

“Outfit first, salon later.” Pi Chi replied.

“Don’t worry, Khunbish. We’ll find you the right outfit!” Evan assured as the pirate was ushered back behind the curtain.

Roland’s second outfit was a black jersey draped over a dark-blue shirt with a skull on it, a silver belt, black pants, and brown boots. “Sheesh, any more punk, and I’ll have to bleach my hair.” He commented.

“Guys, c’mon, we’re trying to make him look casual, not like a hooligan!” Tani scoffed.

“Hey! I’ve worn an outfit like that!” Kan snapped.

“My point exactly. Next!”

…

Khunbish walked out again, this time wearing a plain white T-shirt, blue jeans, and a red baseball cap. “This isn’t classy at all!” he remarked.

“We ran out of ideas,” Bracken said with a shrug.

With Roland, he walked out wearing a red wing-collared shirt with rolled up sleeves, brown pants, and a gray fedora. “Um…” he said, looking in the mirror.

“Back to th’ drawing board!” Batu groaned.

…

After another couple hours of trying on outfits, Khunbish sat in the store, shaking his head. “We’ve gone through almost every kind o’ outfit in here, but nothing seems to suit me at all. Lets face it, I ain’t fit fer th’ sophisticated style,” he muttered.

“I refuse to give up! We need to find something that’s elegant, but not too fancy. Something like… like…” Pi Chi said, looking through her design book.

“Hold on… how about this?” Evan said, looking at the book. He flipped the pages. “With a pair of these… and then this?”

Pi Chi rubbed her chin, drawing out the combination on a sketchpad. Khunbish looked, and gave a nod. “It looks great! No--- perfect!” he exclaimed.

“Good! Now--- any kind of colors you’d like?” Pi Chi asked.

…

…

…

It took a while, but finally Tani decided it was time to stop putting the shopkeepers through hell and go for broke. Walking into the backroom, she found a chest and pulled out a dark-green jacket, teal pants, orange shirt, and a pair of black shoes. She tossed the outfit to Roland. “Here. If this doesn’t fit you, then I don’t know what will,” she said.

The chief consul put on the attire, having to nod. It reminded him of the gunslinger from a storybook Evan had shown him--- it looked rugged enough, and it made him feel like a renegade. “This will work. Where’d you find this?” he asked Tani.

“Ah, we just found it while travelling. It was in your size, but we didn’t know if you’d be willing to try it on. Ha ha, should’ve given it to you anyway considering the circumstances!”

“Thank you. …And thanks for your help, guys.” Roland turned to thank the others, having to pause. “Um, guys?”

Seated in a chair, slumped against the counter, or passed out on the floor, Batu, Jun and Kan were all asleep and snoring. “I guess they got exhausted,” Fai Doh guessed.

Tani looked at the clock--- it was almost seven! “I’ll wake them up--- you’d better hurry out to the square! Have fun on your date!” she said to Roland, walking him out.

“I will--- thanks!” he exclaimed, rushing out.

He arrived in the center of the square right on time. Taking a breath, he sat down by the fountain, drumming his fingers on his knees as he patiently looked around, waiting for Khunbish to arrive. It was a calm evening; only a few patrons hanging out at the Goodfellows Inn on the corner, a citizen or two walking along on a stroll or heading home after a long day of work.

There was a tap on his shoulder, and he looked to see Evan. “Evan? What are you doing here?” he asked, surprised.

“Well… the ladies said it would be nice if I introduced your date. Pi Chi claimed presentation was everything,” the young king said with a chuckle. He paused, looking at Roland’s outfit. “Oh! You got a new outfit too?”

“’Too’?” Roland questioned.

“Oh! Yes! *ahem*…” Evan stood up straight, gesturing towards the northern archway. “Roland Crane… your gentleman awaits.” He took a bow, stepping off to the side.

The chief consul looked over. Stepping out of the shadow of the archway and into the light of the setting sun, his swain appeared--- his hair had been combed, and he wore a dark violet-blue long-sleeved Hydropolis-styled shirt over a pair of purple Ding-Dong-Dell-styled pants, and silver-plated dark-brown boots. He also swapped out his earrings with gold ones.

The two paused, staring at one another; they walked in a circle, each one taking notice of his lover’s change in dress. “R-Roland...?” Khunbish gasped.

“Khunbish…” Roland breathed.

Evan watched from the sidelines; a moment later, Tani ran up to him, watching the scene; in the back, Batu, Bracken, and the rest observed from around the corner. “Whoa! Khunbish--- you really clean up good, mate!” the young pirate girl exclaimed.

“U-Um… thank ye, Mistress Tani…” Khunbish replied awkwardly, blushing deep; he looked at Roland, not sure what to say. “Though… I-I guess I’m a bit over-dressed?”

“No! No, not at all!” Roland sputtered; he was blushing as well. He should have known better than to wear something so common on a first date! “I just… I ah… um…”

Evan looked at the two, managing to piece things together. “If I may make an assumption…” he spoke up. “You both wanted to wear something special for this evening. Khunbish wanted to wear something more sophisticated, because you wanted to impress Roland--- right?”

“Er… y-yes, I did.” The pirate admitted.

“Ha, ha! What a twist--- Roland wanted to ease up on the style and wear something more casual so Khunbish would feel more comfortable!” Tani spoke up.

“Y-Yeah, I did. …Back in Hydropolis, you just looked upset--- I wanted to wear something less classy to show you that appearances didn’t matter to me.” The chief consul said.

“R-Really? Well, still… I wanted to find a decent outfit--- no, the best outfit I could find, because ye deserve the best!” Khunbish stammered.

Roland smiled, resting his hands on his boyfriend’s shoulders. “You ARE the best. You don’t have to dress up for me,” he said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

“Heh, well… ye don’t have to change fer me, either. But I still like looking nice fer our date,”

“Yeah, and it feels nice to wear something this comfortable.”

Tani and Evan looked at each other and grinned, before turning back to the couple. “Well… have fun on your date!” the young king told them, as he and his friend backed away.

“Aye, but don’t stay out too late!” Tani quipped, and they turned and headed off.

Roland chuckled; Khunbish linked his arm with his, and they walked onward. “So… what shall we do, first?” the pirate asked.

“Dinner sounds like a good start. Floyd said he discovered a new seafood recipe,” Roland replied.

…

After dinner, the two went to the concert hall, listening to music. Roland tapped his date on the shoulder, nodding over to a clear space. Khunbish got up and followed him, pausing as Roland took him by the hand and rested the other on his shoulder; the pirate, gulping a bit, rested his free hand on his waist. “F-Forgive me, I’ve… never danced before,” he admitted.

“That’s okay. I’m not a good dancer, either.” Roland assured him. They swayed to the music—at one point the pirate stepped on his foot, and the president would stumble, but after a moment both of them got the hang of it, feeling as if they were gliding to the rhythm.

Once the concert was over, they took a walk to Evermoria Gardens, standing on one of the bridges over the ponds, looking up at the stars. Khunbish rested his head on his beau’s shoulder, the chief consul having his arm around him. “So… what’s next?” the archer asked.

Roland shrugged. “I don’t know. …Back in my world, I would drive my date home. Sometimes I would drive around a bit, just to have it last a little bit longer.”

Khunbish smiled. “Then I have an idea…”

A few minutes later, they were climbing onto his sky-skimmer, taking to the skies. Khunbish steered his vessel through the air, swerving up and around the various hills, while Roland sat behind him, arms around his stomach--- he was thankful Bracken helped modify the small planes so they could fly anywhere.

They soared along the coast, looking down at the rippling waves; over the mountains and the Rolling Hills, going high enough that the chief consul could reach out and touch the clouds. He rested his head on the archer’s back, letting out a dreamy sigh. The pirate smiled back at him. Looking down, he spotted a mountain cliff that gave an amazing view, and landed his plane there. With their strong auras, the creatures of the field paid them no mind.

Sitting down by the ledge, they looked out at the vast field, rivers, and trees below, before gazing up at the stars. They both leaned against each other, not saying a word, but enjoying the moment of romantic serenity. It was times like this they forgot the world was still in danger… but for now, it felt at peace.

After a while, when both felt it was getting late and were almost ready to drift off, they returned to Evermore. Following Roland’s idea, Khunbish walked him back to the castle--- though having his own sense of chivalry, the chief consul draped his coat over his swain’s shoulders when the night air got a bit chilly.

“I had a wonderful time,” Khunbish told him once they walked through the castle, walking the president to his room, handing him back the coat.

“So did I. I hope we get to do this more often,” Roland added. He looked at his coat. “Y’know, I may wear this outfit as we travel. It was really nice,”

Khunbish brushed his outfit. “Aye, ‘n’ I may wear this set o’ clothes around th’ kingdom when I’m not workin’ or partaking in a skirmish.”

“You do look nice in it,”

“Aye, but ye got th’ talent to make a set o’ common clothes look elegant.”

Roland scoffed, smirking. “Flatterer,” he then gave him a kiss on the lips, which was returned. “Goodnight, Khunbish.”

“Goodnight, Roland.” Once his beloved walked into the room and shut the door, Khunbish walked down the hall, heading to his quarters. Once he was behind the door, he leaped in the air, pumping his fists. “Yes!” he exclaimed, before falling back on the bed.

For a first date, it was more than amazing.

It was no surprise that by the next day, their friends were pestering each of them for details of their delightful evening.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

**Cold Shivers**

_[Takes place after the opening of the ‘Lair of the Lost Lord’ DLC; set a few days before Doloran summons the Horned One]_

“Just look at ‘im, walkin’ up ‘n’ down th’ hall, as if he didnae need sleep!”

“I haven’t seen someone stay up all hours of the night since Zip lost his mind!”

“It is a bit peculiar…”

“Aye, the lad has been known to prowl into the late hours during his patrols, but this be ridiculous!”

“Ye gotta do something, boss--- he hasn’t slept a wink fer days, ‘n’ he’s been sluggish out on th’ training grounds--- even th’ new rookies have been kickin’ his arse!”

“Blimey, he looks like a zombie…”

“Golly, I didn’t think it was _that_ bad,”

“Of course it’s bad, Evan! Crikey, we’re talking _five feet away from him_, for cryin’ out loud!”

…

Khunbish continued to walk down the corridor, not paying any attention to the others walking behind him. He knew they were there… but he was too out of it to respond or pay them any acknowledgments. It wasn’t like him--- he was always alert and quick for a remark…

That is, until he wandered off and decided to open that damned door.

He was taking a day off from training; skirmishes had been going well, the army had gained a ton of strong warriors, and the Declaration of Interdependence had been signed by all nations (on that note, he felt he deserved a relaxing walk after that incident in Ding Dong Dell). He went up on a hill, thinking he could possibly scout ahead and see if any more bandits were aiming to raid the kingdom…

Then he saw a door, shimmering in some ruins.

Curiosity got the better of him as he ventured close. Perhaps it was one of those ‘Dream Doors’ the others had explored during their travels, and held untold riches beyond its frame! Overwhelmed with desires to explore, he walked right in…

His memory was a blank after that. Next thing he knew he was waking up in the throne room with a pounding headache (courtesy of Batu’s punch), only to black out again. By the time he snapped awake, the others filled him in: upon entering the doorway, his body became a vessel for a ghost, Lord Cumbish (…odd, sounded close to his own name.)

As the day went on, his memory cleared up: he recalled feeling a chill strike him in the chest, a voice inside his head trying to ‘push’ him back, and he fought with all his might, but everything went black. It wasn’t until nightfall that the reality of the situation got to him--- when he fell asleep, he had nightmares of Lord Cumbish returning, not wanting to wait on King Evan to complete his task and forcing the pirate to do as he pleased.

What was most horrifying was how Khunbish had no control, nor any memory right after it happened. Had the ghost been maleficent, the archer could have been forced to kill someone, becoming an enemy against his comrades… then he’d wake up with blood on his hands and ready for the gallows, with no idea why.

Thus when he stopped sleeping. He knew he had to be on his toes in case that bastard Doloran pulled something, but every time he lied down to sleep he could only think about how he fought to stay in control and get the upper-hand, only to fail. _Dammit… what use am I if I can’t beat a dead guy?! _He thought.

The insomnia affected his daily routine as well. He could hardly eat, could barely pay attention when his mates started chin-wagging at the tavern, he was too tired to train with the new recruits… hell, he even felt too numb when he got beat!

Perhaps the thing that troubled him the most was how he always felt… _cold._

Even when he wrapped up in warm blankets, or put on long sleeves, he still shivered. That’s what caused him alarm--- was the ghost still lingering inside him, wanting to stick around and make sure King Evan’s promise was fulfilled? Lofty had assured him time and again that his ‘Kingmaker Senses’ knew Lord Cumbish moved on after taking their word, yet the chills remained with him.

It didn’t help that some of his fellow mates teased him a bit--- making ghostly sounds, one of them popping up with a sheet over his head, mockingly holding up objects and pretending they were floating… of course, upon catching them in the act, Tani chewed them all out. “Can’t you twats see he’s still got the shakes?! Knock it off, or you lot can go into that haunted door yourselves!” she had snapped. Afterward she tried to reassure Khunbish, but the pirate only muttered a half-hearted ‘thank you’ before walking off, feeling embarrassed that he was letting himself get spooked so easily.

Perhaps the red flag of his condition was the fact that he didn’t notice Roland hadn’t been around in the last week.

…

_~Meanwhile~_

Roland walked through the streets of Goldpaw, reading the directions Pugnacious had given him. It took a few days, but he managed to locate a citizen Evermore really needed at this time.

Entering a small building, he walked down a short corridor until he found at door with the nameplate ‘Doctor Ricardo Barkus’. When he brought it up to Evan, the king was puzzled--- Evermore already had a wonderful doctor! When the chief consul brought up this was for a different kind of practice, he understood and allowed him to seek them out.

After speaking to the secretary, he entered the therapist’s office. “Doctor Barkus?” he asked.

Barkus, a dark-gray furred hound with pointed ears, looked up from his desk. “Oh, hello. How may I help you?” he asked in a polite tone.

“My name is Roland Crane, chief consul of Evermore. I assume the Grand High Roller informed you I would be coming,”

“Ah, yes, he did! I must say, I’ve heard quite a bit about your success. He mentioned you were looking for a therapist to come to Evermore.”

“Yes. You’ve studied with the best, he said, and claimed it would be a good opportunity for you to get out and spread your wings,”

“Of course. Goldpaw already has some wonderful specialists, and my colleagues already have a vast clientele. As for me… well, I’m a bit embarrassed to say I have yet to find a client.”

“I believe there’s one in Evermore who could help kick off your business.”

…

…

…

Chingis avoided odd looks others gave him as he carried Khunbish over his shoulder down the street. Batu was with him. “This be for yer own good, lad. It’s time to get back on yer feet!” his boss firmly stated.

“Aye, boss… whatever ye say…” Khunbish numbly replied. His eyes were bloodshot with bags beneath, his face was flushed, and he was wrapped up in a blanket despite it was 75-degrees out.

“Ye sure this doctor will be helpful, boss?” Chingis questioned. “I mean, we already had a couple take a look at him!”

“Ask Roland--- the chief consul claims this one’s a special type,”

Once they reached the new building--- a small, one-story establishment--- they walked in. Roland stood by the receptionist desk, having been talking to the secretary, before looking over. “How is he?” the chief consul asked.

“Take a look for yerself!” Chingis scoffed, setting the archer down.

The president looked at his boyfriend; so tired, so deadened, the once bright-eyed aviator didn’t even reach forth to embrace him, nor did he even seem to look at him. Roland waved a hand in front of his face. He snapped his fingers. “Khunbish. Khunbish, snap out of it!”

“Oh… hi Roland.” His love responded, his tone void of luster.

“Hate to break it to ya, Roland, but yer boyfriend here hasn’t been very responsive. Doesn’t even flinch from a punch to th’ gut!” Batu informed him.

Roland put his hands on Khunbish’s shoulders, the pirate keeping the blanket wrapped tightly around himself. “Come in here,” the chief consul advised him, leading him into Barkus’ office.

“Is this the special case you told me about?” Barkus asked.

“Yes. Ever since he was overcome by a ghost, he’s been awake at night. That’s when I decided to seek you out--- from what I’ve heard, he’s gotten worse,” Roland advised.

“It’s quite common with certain traumas. When the mind cannot fathom ways to overcome such fear, sometimes it shuts down, as means to prevent itself from thinking about it until it’s fully repressed the memory; of course, it is not wise to wait for that to happen, as the subconscious memories can cause him to develop harmful stimuli based on circumstances. For example, he could have a panic attack if he listened to a ghost story, or lash out if someone so much as said ‘boo!’”

“What do you propose we do?”

“Well first, we have to snap him out of it.”

“That will be tough. Batu said he doesn’t even react to pain.”

“Ha ha, well we won’t use that kind of stimulation. We could splash him with some cold water, the shock of that would surely help.”

Roland nodded, and summoned a water-based higgledy; immediately, the tiny phenomena sprayed water into Khunbish’s face! “Ack! *cough hack* What the…? Huh?” the pirate gasped, snorting a bit as water had gotten up his nose.

“Thank goodness that worked,” Roland chuckled.

“W-What’s going on?” The pirate asked, as if entering the room for the first time.

“You’re in the office of Doctor Ricard Barkus, PhD; I’m Evermore’s new therapist.” Barkus introduced, shaking his hand.

“Therapist…?” Khunbish looked at Roland.

“It’s a special kind of doctor. They help others cope with personal matters, such as depression, trauma, and other hard-bearing feelings.” Roland informed him. “Everyone said you’ve been unnerved to the point of a blank mind,”

The pirate blushed, pulling the blanket around him more. “I’ve gotten that bad, eh?”

Roland rested a hand on his shoulder. “Just give it a try. Tell him how you’re feeling, and he’ll help you find a coping mechanism. I’ll be out in the waiting room, okay?”

“You mean I have to spill my guts to a total stranger?!”

“It’s quite fine. Everyone is shy about opening up at first… but if it helps ease your nerves, therapists are sworn to secrecy--- all sessions are to remain private and are not to be disclosed to a third party, with the exception to loved ones who sign them up.” Barkus informed him.

“And you know I’ll keep it secret,” Roland assured him. He gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Good luck,”

“But--- oh…” Khunbish groaned.

Barkus advised him to lie down on the couch. The session was difficult at first, as the sky pirate wasn’t keen on sharing feelings; the doctor then tried another way, asking him to describe his childhood. The archer claimed he didn’t recall much--- he liked playing with a toy plane, and around age 13 he found he was homosexual which caused his parents to kick him out, and he lived a life of a thief on the streets until he met Batu. He didn’t give any details outside of that one paragraph.

He was then asked to bring up his interests and skills. Khunbish brought up his knack for archery, as well as boasted about being the best aviator on the force; soon he was telling the doctor about the first time he met Roland and Evan (before the lad became king), helping escort them to the King’s Cradle, all the skirmishes they took part in… before long he was talking about the whole adventure!

“…And next thing ya know, Master Roland came down and shot me! Bloody SHOT me! All that went through my mind after that was my mum’s voice telling me I should’ve been a musician, before suddenly I’m awake, alive and breathing! Before I had time to register what was going on, I was swallowing pills and croaking!” He was rambling now. “We were frogs for hours, Roland ‘n’ I--- worst yet a bigger frog started chasing us across the field ‘til we changed back human, and I kicked the blotter back into the grass…”

“I see… That sounds like enough to startle someone into a shocked state,” Barkus noted, using a bit of psychology to persuade the pirate into discussing the matter behind his behavior.

Khunbish rubbed the back of his neck. “Well… there be one thing that was worse than that… I ended up possessed by a ghost a few days ago. Barely had any control, and no memory of it after the damn spirit left me alone, ‘til night came around.”

“Tell me how you feel now,”

Khunbish wrapped the blanket tighter around himself. “Cold. I’s always feels cold--- even when it’s the hottest of days. I keep thinking that means the ghost is still lingering, but Lofty tells me otherwise—he’d be the Kingmaker of Evermore--- yet I’ve still got chills!”

“I think it’s psychological.”

“Psycho-what?”

“It means it’s all in your head. Why it’s like someone starts talking about fleas--- suddenly I start itching, despite there’s not a single bug on me. Or walking by a bakery and feeling hungry, despite having eaten lunch. …Yet here you are wrapped in a blanket, still feeling cold. I believe there’s a deeper reason beyond all that you’ve told me.”

“How so?”

“Well, it depends. Perhaps you feel cold because you feel as if your personal space has been violated. But judging from how close Roland was to you earlier, you showed no signs of discomfort.”

“A-Aye, I don’t mind being around people. Actually…” he curled up a bit, looking at the end of the couch. “I-I feels safer when others are around.”

“That does make sense. …I take it you were alone when you encountered the ghost?”

Khunbish cringed a bit, nodding. “…Chingis told me when I came back, I was wanting to pick fights with everyone; King Evan told me Lord Cumbish--- er, the ghost--- wanted to see how strong I was so’s he could go into the labyrinth ‘n’ fight his enemy.” He added.

Barkus nodded, writing on his notepad. “I see. …Perhaps the problem isn’t just that you were overcome by a ghost, but you were alone when it happened. Without anyone nearby to witness it, no one would know and everyone would figure out you’ve just gone daffy. Does that make sense to you?”

He sunk in the couch. “Aye, and then some… I had a nightmare where the spirit wasn’t quite benevolent, an’ made me do horrible things instead, an’ that I’d wake up with blood on my hands, becoming an enemy to those I swore to protect.”

The therapist thought for a moment, tapping his pencil on the side of his notepad as he pondered. “I think the root cause of that nightmare was that you would have lost your friends. Here’s my thinking: you ventured into (Lord Cumbish, was it?) his realm alone, being overtaken without anyone around to help you. He then started picking fights with others under your identity, planning on going back in order to fight his own enemy--- should he have failed, no one would have been there to help you. Not only that, you were afraid of harming someone you cared about, worried they would leave you behind. When you came to, you felt clueless and later corrupted.”

“I guess that would be the gist of it,”

“So really, you feel cold and afraid, acting like you’re dead to the world, because you fear losing others and being alone. Perhaps more, you feel you’re no longer in control after being used,”

Khunbish looked at him. “What should I do, doc? I don’t want to feel like this anymore. I’s can’t sleep, can’t eat, my mates think I’m nothing but a zombie no doubt…”

Barkus leaned forth a bit, resting his elbow on his knee. “Well, you can either carry on and pretend you’re still being haunted, or you can tell yourself that it’s over--- your friends are okay, the ghost is gone, and there’s no reason to be afraid.”

The pirate sat up, thinking a moment. He closed his eyes. “To be honest, there be one more thing that startles me… probably connected to yer theory,”

“And what’s that?”

“…ever heard of a bastard who goes by the name ‘Doloran’?”

…

…

…

Roland scrolled through Leafbook while he waited for the session to end. He looked at the clock--- it usually took an hour, but he wondered if they wouldn’t need more time for a breakthrough. Chances are, Khunbish would have to come back often.

The door opened and they walked out; the pirate shook the therapist’s hand. “Thank ye, doc. I think I’ll be able to manage,” the pirate said, his blanket folded over his arm.

“Come see me if you feel any relapses. If anything, we can have weekly sessions.” Barkus stated. “And be sure to get plenty of sleep!”

“Aye--- if I ain’t on the battlefield, har har,”

Roland smiled a bit; it seemed his swain was getting back to normal. They walked out, the afternoon sun beginning to set as they strolled through Aranella Square. “It seems like it went well,” the president stated.

“Aye… the doc said there was probably more to my problem than a ghost,” the aviator said.

“Like what?”

Khunbish looked at him, his eyes solemn. “Can we discuss it somewhere private?”

Roland nodded; they walked into the castle, going into the palace library. They sat down by a fireplace, across from each other; Persha was nearby, and insisted on bringing them both a couple mugs of hot cocoa and biscuits. “You’ve been looking cold, Khunbish. It should help warm you up!” she said, giving them a courteous bow before going to fetch the snack.

The chief consul turned to the archer. “So what was the problem?” he asked, keeping his tone quiet.

Khunbish looked at the fireplace, deep in thought. “…I had nightmares that the ghost made me kill everyone, that I became an enemy to ye lot, ‘n’ I’d have no idea what happened. I felt like… I had been tainted, having no control over my actions whatsoever. …Then I realized it was like when the rulers of the other nations went berserk--- Doloran corrupted th’ lot o’ them, ‘n’ they ended up doing horrible things!”

Roland shushed him as the pirate’s voice was getting too loud. “But we helped them, remember?”

“Aye, but… it’s scary. Ye think yer in control of yer life, hell even yer own body, then suddenly someone makes ye realize you’re more vulnerable than ye think.” He began to shiver just then. “Just thinking about it gives me chills. When I heard talk about it, I was alarmed but not that shaken--- until someone took control and I had no idea what was going on. It kept me up at night, I was afraid to dream, and before I knew it… I was just numb, walking along as if my soul had been pried out of me,”

His beau caressed his face, letting his cheek rest in his palm. “Hey. You’re not weak. Anyone could have entered that place and ended up possessed--- and I doubt Lord Cumbish wanted to kill anyone. …I think he was sort of like you--- he felt alone and afraid, and needed a way to stop the one to took away everything he held dear. He just realized something you haven’t thought about,”

“What’s that?”

Roland leaned forth and wrapped his arms around him tightly. “That you don’t have to face your problems alone. It’s okay to open up to someone about things like this, whether its friends or a therapist or anyone else you can trust.” He rubbed his back, the pirate resting his head on his shoulder. “You’re back in control. No one is making you do anything. You’re not weak, and you’ll be stronger once you overcome it! Don’t _ever_ let anyone or anything make you feel otherwise.”

Khunbish gripped his shirt, burying his face in his neck. “I don’t want to lose ya,”

“I’m still here. Put those worries to rest,”

“I’ll try… honestly, it be a fear I have to face every day. I was just never aware of it,”

“I think that’s a fear we all share. And we’ll face it together.”

The pirate pulled away a bit, before kissing him on the lips; for the first time in a few days, he felt warmth returning to his soul. His body felt heavy as well, as fatigue had caught up to him and was taking its toll. Whether it was the spark of courage he regained or delusion due to his insomnia, he asked his beau, “Would it be alright if I slept in yer room from now on?”

Roland blushed a bit. Was he still unnerved, or did he want to keep close to him? Whatever the reason, he gave a nod. His boyfriend smiled back, before slumping down, too tired to stay awake any longer, ending up lying down on his lap, arms around his waist. The chief consul had to chuckle a bit, taking off his hat so he could tussle his green hair. “I love you, you know that right?”

A gentle snore was his answer. The president shook his head, continuing to give his swain gentle rubs on the head and back, while looking into the fireplace.

…

Persha peeked around the corner, tray in hand as she watched the sight, having to smile. She walked in quietly so not to wake the sleeping pirate, giving Roland a nod when he noticed her setting the tray on the nearby table. “…He may be hungry once he wakes up,” she said with a smile, before leaving the two to enjoy their moment.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

**On The Contrary**

_(A/N: Set post-plot)_

_“Quite a beautiful sight, isn’t it? Not as much as you, though. …Heh, sorry if that sounded cheesy, but… it’s true. …I thought about so many locations on where to bring you--- Hydropolis was too overused, Goldpaw felt crowded, Broadleaf or Ding Dong Dell just--- well, in the end I-I decided that out here in the open world, with a view like this… …Y’know, I-I’m not good with words, so, I’ll just say it. …Will you…?”_

_…_

_…_

_…_

Contrary to popular belief, Roland had a thing for tough guys with a sweet side; he loved the balance of seeing Khunbish having a daring-and-fierce nature out on the battlefield, but a warm and kind nature. The pirate, likewise, loved a strong and intelligent man who was humble enough to receive affection. Both had conflicting characteristics--- the chief consul was sophisticated and thought things through, whereas the aviator was rugged and leaped into action… but in an odd way, they managed to complete each other.

Contrary to popular belief, pirates were known for being quite affectionate. Roland had always read stories or seen movies where pirates ‘had a lady at every port’ and were never the types to settle down. According to Gerel, this was not so with the Sky Pirates--- once they established a solid relationship they kept at it unless both parties chose to go their separate ways, as ‘anyone who would cheat on their beloved was not to be trusted in their crew’, claiming there were too many tales of broken hearts out there already and the last thing Batu wanted was for one of their mates sobbing about being someone’s ‘extra lover’.

Contrary to popular belief, Khunbish was the most affectionate out of the whole pirate base. When they were not fighting in a skirmish, or helping Evan with kingdom matters, or working in their respected positions in Evermore, the archer had the chief consul in his arms, planting kisses on his forehead cheeks and lips, nuzzling against him, and running his fingers through his hair; Roland adored it all, and when the days were calm they would find a quiet place and he would let his swain hold him, both of them whispering compliments back and forth until they were so relaxed they fell asleep (often ending up found by Tani… and it was no surprise a picture would be posted on Leafbook later).

Contrary to popular belief, Khunbish thought about their future together. Granted, he knew one day Roland would have to return to his own world, but on quiet days when he was at work or just taking a walk alone, the pirate would think about what it would be like if the chief consul could stay here forever, both of them taking that next step in their relationship and how he would plan the moment. He found a cliff back in the Rolling Hills that gave a fantastic view of the fields and rivers, imagining taking Roland up there, both of them enjoying the scenery until he got down on one knee…

…

On the contrary, Roland did go home. They had spoken days beforehand, preparing themselves for the goodbye. Once he was gone, Khunbish promised he would be strong and move on.

On the contrary, the heartbreak took its toll on him most days. Sometimes he would enter the bedroom they shared at night, only to find it void of his beau--- he would have to shut the door quick in order to keep himself from breaking any rules of appropriation and curling up on the mattress just to revisit warm memories.

Contrary to what others thought, the pirate felt broken inside. He kept up a strong façade--- he took part in mock battles with his mates and helped fight monsters, laughed and swapped stories at the tavern, and continued to help guard Evermore with his keen focus. But when he was alone, that’s when the pain surfaced. He believed only Batu, Tani and Evan had him figured out, having known their relationship better than anyone else. When he felt it was too much (…let alone had a drink too many), he would go to one of them in the middle of the night.

Contrary to popular belief, Batu was not so stone-hearted when it came to the matter. He would be stern with his words, telling his top aviator that Roland wouldn’t want him sobbing over the separation, taking a walk around the kingdom with the archer until he was too tired to share his woes.

Contrary to popular belief, Tani related to him. She understood how it felt to feel like they’ve lost someone, giving him hugs and reassuring him that someday in the next life they’ll meet again. She would sit with him on the steps or on the castle wall, if not fly around the air in their sky-skimmers (if he were sober) to help him get his mind off his heartache, if only for a little bit.

On the contrary, Evan was the one who would bring it up first. The young king would notice a sad look in the archer’s eyes sometimes, and invite him to sit down somewhere quiet to talk. Unlike the others, the pirate was hesitant to bring up Roland, knowing how close the president was to his king, but one look into the grimalkin’s eyes and he would spill everything. Often Evan would share his tears, but would assure him that in time it would get easier, and--- much like the others--- would remind him that Roland wanted them all to keep moving on.

On the contrary…

The pirate took a day off, flying his sky-skimmer to the Rolling Hills, landing on the cliff he had found.

“Quite a beautiful sight, isn’t it? Not as much as you, though.” Khunbish said, as if speaking to his beau. He imagined his beloved making a clever quip, or giving him a smirk. “Heh, sorry if that sounded cheesy, but… it’s true.”

He looked out at the far off mountains, vast fields, and the creatures wandering down below. He was at least a thousand feet high.

“I thought about so many locations on where to bring you--- Hydropolis was too overused, Goldpaw felt crowded, Broadleaf and Ding Dong Dell just--- well, in the end I-I decided that out here in the open world, with a view like this…”

_A view I always wanted to share with you, but never got the chance… _a thought entered his mind, and he bit his lip and shook his head, jamming his hand into his pocket.

“Y’know, I-I’m not good with words so, I’ll just say it.”

He knelt down, as if his boyfriend were right in front of him. Out of his pocket, he pulled out a little box; Tani jokingly gave it to him after their first adventure in Hydropolis, claiming if he ever got the courage he could use it for Roland. He opened it up, revealing the beautiful ring inside.

“Will you…”

Hands trembling, eyes welling up, Khunbish dropped the ring to the ground. He clenched his fists, jaw tight as he couldn’t finish the sentence.

On the contrary, he bellowed into the sky, emptying his lungs with his scream of dwelling emotions that he had been carrying within him since Roland left.

“COME BACK!” the pirate cried, falling to the ground, sobbing. “Please…please come back… dammit, I miss you so much it hurts…”

He continued to cry, hugging himself and wishing that, by some miracle, Roland would appear before him. Perhaps even his son could be with him, and they could all live in Evermore, and live happily ever after just like Evan always said.

But perhaps Roland was already happy. He had a life back in his world… and Khunbish didn’t want him to give it all up for his sake. Now that he had faced reality and let the tears out, he sat up, thinking about his behavior, realizing his old flame would not want him to go on like this.

Plus, he wasn’t the only one who missed the chief consul, and everyone else had to continue without him. He would have to do the same.

“I’m sorry,” Khunbish apologized, as if Roland could hear him. “I miss you so much that… I don’t think. I want to see you again… I _will_ see you again. But before then I should live my life, that way when we do meet again, I’ll have stories to tell. Plus, someone’s gotta keep an eye on Evermore, right? Heh heh…”

He knelt down and picked up the ring.

“I… I’m not sure if I’m ready to look for anyone else, yet. I mean, c’mon, how can I get over a guy like you this soon? But, someone new may come along, and… well, hell, you’ve got a son so obviously you’ve loved someone before me. And if you can love again… I can too. I-It’s because of you I could find the courage to love someone. You’re still special to me… no one will ever replace you in my heart, Roland, but… I have to move on--- I know you want me to.” He looked up at the clouds in the sky. “Goodbye, Roland… until we meet again.”

A soft breeze blew, and he closed his eyes, taking it in and letting out a heavy sigh.

With that, he put the ring back in his pocket. He could give it back to Tani later.

His heart felt lighter, once he came to terms with himself. The pain was still there, and he had a feeling it would linger for a while more.

But on the contrary, it was beginning to heal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *clutches heart* OH, the FEEELS! *falls backward* (pops up) Well, glad that's out of the way! Now if you'll excuse me--- there's a pirate I need to hug! ...if he'll let me, he's still miffed about this fic.
> 
> *gets ambushed by a hug*
> 
> Khunbish: Oi, ye can make it up to me by assuring everyone I like women! ;)
> 
> Me: <3 <3 <3 Okay! 
> 
> Roland: ...Don't you have a boyfriend?
> 
> Me: ...Okay, you go hug mine, I'll hug yours. 
> 
> Khunbish: Aaaaand ye killed it. *drops me*
> 
> *thud*
> 
> Me: ...ow. 
> 
> TRIVIA!
> 
> Kan and Jun are based off Junpei Iori (Persona 3) and Kanji Tatsumi (Persona 4) and I made them boyfriends here because I once shipped them *kinda* in another fic XD 
> 
> Outfit cameos of other ships:
> 
> -ShizuoxIzaya (Durarara!!)  
-JunpeixKanji (again lol)  
-FangsxPuggsy (Fangface) *not really my ship but more for a friend lol*
> 
> ...I should run now before all these guys hunt me down. Bye! *flees*

**Author's Note:**

> Trivia: Ryu is a reference to Ryuji from Persona 5 because why not? XD
> 
> The title is a reference to PlayRadioPlay!'s song "I Am A Pirate, You Are A Princess". 
> 
> ...
> 
> Roland: *having ice-pack on his face* Was the shoe really necessary?
> 
> Me: Hey, be thankful... I normally use bricks. 
> 
> Khunbish: *brooding in embarrassment*
> 
> (hah boy, I'll have to make this up to him in I'm A Naga!?, won't I?)


End file.
